Meanwhile Back At The Ranch
by shnickerdoodles
Summary: You never know what to expect from the Malfoy family. They are cunning and their empire stretches to the farthest reaches of the world. Who knows what unknown relatives could suddenly pop into the public wizarding eye?
1. Prologue

Hermione Granger had so many secrets it wasn't funny. If you think about it, Hermione, or should I say Amelia, has more than one alter ego. Which leads to my point: She's not who you think she is. Most of you who are reading this have probably recognized that already. Nothing is what it seems when it comes to the Malfoy family.

Yes, I said Malfoy. It's a known fact in the wizarding world that the American branch of the Malfoy family has an abundance of children. All are great at what they do and any one of them could buy the world for just about an eighth of what they have.

So we should begin this Malfoy family expose with Draco, who, if no one has managed to figure out yet is hard shell, soft center. So where to put you? Ah, yes. Half way through Draco and Amelia's 6th year in their private dorm off of the Slytherin common room.


	2. Chapter One

Disclaimer: If I owned this I would be a billionaire. And I'm not. So there.

Draco and Amelia lay side by side staring at their ceiling, which was covered with pictures of family, friends, and places they had been. Amelia reached over to Draco and grabbed his hand. "What are the chances that this would happen on the same day? Both of us losing something precious." Both had silent tears streaming down their cheeks, slowly descending to pool in their ears.

Draco turned on his side to run a hand over his twin sister's hair. "You've lost a part of you. And a man we both believed was loyal and completely trustworthy. You and I are twins. And empaths to top it off. I can feel your pain. Sweetheart, let it out. You've just miscarried a child and lost a boyfriend. Cry mia bella. I know you want to."

Amelia turned into Draco's chest and huge wracking sobs filled her body. After a few minutes of crying she began to feel nauseous and sprinted to their bathroom. Draco followed at a slower pace hearing her heave with nothing coming up. He swiped a hair band off of the granite counter top and pulled her hair back into his hands, beginning to braid it like he had done when they were children.

By the time Draco had finished plaiting Amelia's gorgeous silver-shot blonde and pink hair she leant back against him, exhausted. "We had named him. And Jason was so happy the it was a boy. He wanted to name him after his father Bennett, but I wanted to name him after you." Draco grinned and kissed the top of her head. Amelia continued. "I can't believe we didn't notice the resemblance though Drake. Not physical I mean, just behaviors and common names. We were played, majorly."

This made Draco grimace. "I know. Lauren and Jason McCall. A pair to be rid of. I've already called Marcus and had all privleges revoked and cars taken away along with their no-limit credit cards." He stood, bringing Amelia with him. "I know that you want to stay but you have got to get going. Mr. Brown Nose and sidekick are going to be worried if you don't show." He tapped his wand on the top of her head and Hermione Granger appeared before him. Draco hugged Hermione and then said in his fake gruff voice, "Beat it Granger." She slowly ascended the stairs to the library.

The only access beside flying up to the terrace was through the library, in the History stacks because no one ever went there. Plus Hermione would be seen coming and going so Ron and Harry would have no reason to doubt her. As she exited the library, Hermione thought about her books. They were props. She learned everything through God-given talent and had never cracked a book unless it was a romance novel.

Hermione muttered the password to the Fat Lady, who swung open soundlessly. She passed Harry and Ron asleep on the couches and climbed the stairs to her dormitory. She shared it with Ginny, the only other person who knew.

As she entered, Ginny caught her in a flying tackle. "I knew he was bad news and I'm sorry about little Draco. How is big Draco coping?" Hermione smiled and hugged Ginny back. "I'm sure he'll be okay if you go and comfort him. I know you like him still and I really think he likes you. The invisibility cloak is on the top shelf in my closet. My baby brother deserves someone who will appreciate him and not use him." Ginny gave a small smile and bounded toward the closet.

Ginny hugged Hermione again and said, "If I you wake up to arguing it has all gone really well. If I'm back in 20 minutes feel free to kick your little brother's ass." Hermione laughed, her first one of the day, and headed for the shower.

* * *

Ginny slowly tiptoed down the stairs and managed to push open the door without it squeaking. She saw Draco sitting in the middle of a destroyed bedroom, holding a small box in his hands. Hoping that he wouldn't freak out on her, she removed the invisibility cloak. She very slowly began to pick things up and straighten things around the room, repairing broken items as she went.

"Gin, come here. I'll take care of that later." This made Ginny whirl around. Draco was staring at her, his silver-green eyes swirling with untold emotion. He was feeling his pain as well as Amelia's. Ginny went over to him, stepping over random debris as she went. Sitting in front of him she said, "Drake, I know I shouldn't have come down here. I mean I thought that you could use some time with someone beside you sister. To help remind you that there are others who lo- well like you as well."

Draco's head snapped up when he heard Ginny stutter. "Wait, what were you saying? Ha. I knew it." He looked at Ginny with a triumphant smile.

Ginny stood and started to make her way back to the door. "Well, if you're gonna make fun of me. I've been trying to tell you since my second year. Just don't -"

Draco leaped up, chasing after Ginny. Right as she was about to open the door, Draco wrapped his arms around her waist, pulling Ginny against him. "Draco, come on. I know you don't-"

"Want to let you leave the room? Yep you're right. I really thought that I loved Lauren but I know now I was wrong." He smiled and turned her around. " I know you want to take this slowly. So lets start here." Draco leaned down and kissed Ginny's nose. He loved her freckles, they made her unique.

"Drake, what was that box you had earlier?" Ginny had a pretty good idea what it was but she wasn't sure.

"It was Lauren's engagement ring. I was going to ask her to marry me today." He smiled ruefully down at the box that was still in his hand. Ginny smiled shyly at him. "Can I see it?"

When Draco opened the box to show her, Ginny couldn't help but tear up slightly. "May I please try it on Draco? It's my dream ring." He couldn't help but smile. "Yeah go ahead. It's a Malfoy ring so if I put it on my soul mate, it will glow blue and silver." Draco slipped the ring out of the box and placed it on Ginny's ring finger. She felt and electric shock and the ring began to glow. Ginny smiled saying, "Well, that answers a few questions."

Draco was shocked. "You know that doesn't come off now, right?"


	3. Chapter Two

When Amelia woke up the next morning she heard complete silence. Remembering Ginny's words from the day before she flew out of bed and went to race to her twin brothers door when something hit her square in the chest. She couldn't feel Draco, at all. It was like there was a void in her feelings.

Slowly, she approached the door to the common room, unsure of what she would find waiting for her. Opening the door she saw Draco and Ginny staring straight into a dead fire. No movement or feeling could be felt from either of them. Right as Amelia was about to open her mouth, there was a loud knocking on the common room door.

Amelia jumped when she heard Ron yelling from behind the door. "Hermione!! Luna came looking for my sister and we couldn't find her this morning. We know that he has her! Open the door!!"

Amelia snorted lightly. Right, my brother has stolen her of her own free will? She jumped when Ron banged on the door again and realized that she was still Amelia. Casting a glamour charm on herself, Hermione reappeared in front of Draco and Ginny. This made them both jump a little and come back to their senses. Hermione could feel relief and love flood her emotions coming from Draco. "Hey both of you, do something!"

Hermione walked to the common room door slowly, hopefully giving Ron time to calm himself, which made her snort again because it was so unlikely. When she finally reached and opened her door Hermione calmly cocked a hip and said "Yes? What are you waking me up for? This is taking up very valuable studying time."

Ron was slowly turning blue. "What do you mean? You didn't hear the gigantic rant that I've been yelling through my door for the past 5 minutes and -" Harry interrupted trying to keep his cool because he had the oddest feeling that he was about to kill Ron for grossly overreacting.

He knew what was going on with Ginny and Draco since their fling last summer and wasn't about to tell Ron about it. "Sorry for the idiot reaction Hermione. We were wondering if you knew where Ginny was. She wasn't in her bed this morning and Ron had a major freak out when Luna went upstairs and said that she wasn't there."

Inwardly Hermione kept laughing slowly. As Ron was ranting under his breath and Harry was rolling his eyes so Ron wouldn't see, Draco was telling her what happened the night before and why Ginny had stayed up all night with him. "Yeah guys. We had an impromptu sleepover and Ginny didn't have enough time to tell you why. Sorry we were just about to come over and tell you that we were spending the day at Honeydukes. So we'll get ready and meet you in the Great Hall for breakfast in a little bit, okay? If we don't show up we'll have eaten in the kitchens. Bye."

Hermione shut the door in Harry's smiling face and Ron's multi-colored one. It was just too good to resist so she wheeled around and smiled at Draco, "Seriously!? That is just too cool. I can't believe you finally found her." With that Ginny promptly fainted.

**Break**

Ginny woke up in a room she didn't know and scarily enough she had no recollection of what had happened since the night before. The last thing she remembered was putting on an engagement ring that would not come off of her finger. She rubbed the back of her hand across her eyes and tried to pull herself together. Ginny rolled up to the side of the bed and groaned slightly. When she finally looked around she noticed the Slytherin colors and groaned again.

She whirled around and almost screamed when she saw Draco reclining against the headboard and their was an imprint where she had been lying curled up next to his side.

"What the hell Draco! I have no idea what time it is and what am I doing in your bed? You hate me remember? Or did you forget that right after you told me you loved me and I was so close to thinking that you weren't fooling that you went and slept with Lauren? Does any of that ring a bell?" Ginny was so close to tears that she couldn't help it, some of them spilled over and rolled down her cheek. She managed to turn away before her voice cracked and Draco saw the tears.

Her tirade made him sigh and slide both hands that were previously supporting his head across his face. Draco slid his legs over the edge of the bed and put his head in his hands. "Yeah, well for making such accusations did you ever think to ask me what was going on? Ask my opinion on the whole situation?" With this he got up off of his side of the bed and walked around to kneel in front of Ginny.

"Until you want to hear my side of what happened, you're just going to have to trust me, okay? If you don't want the ring to be seen it will be invisible to others, but if you do you'll have to put a glamour charm on it so your brother doesn't freak." Draco left the room and decided to not speak to her until she came to him.


	4. Chapter Three

Ginny sighed and sat on the bed, contemplating what had just happened. She knew that Draco didn't hate her, but for some reason she had given him some reason to go to Lauren.

_Flashback_

_ Ginny sat on the front porch of the Malfoy's plantation home, rocking back and forth on their porch swing. It was soothing, the movement, so repetitive she didn't even hear him coming until he sat down on the swing. She looked over startled and calmed when she noticed that it was Draco. __"Hey babe. Finished doing the dishes?" Draco just smiled at her and squeezed her hand. He couldn't help but stare at her. Ginny was beyond radiant when she was in love and she had chosen _him.

_ She turned to him and said "Draco I have something to tell you - " Before she could even get the words from her mouth Draco said "I love you Ginny." He looked at her expecting her response to be along the same lines, but all he got was a hesitation. This made him frown and let go of her hand. "Wait you -"_

_ This time Ginny cut him off saying "Draco you know that I care for you. I really truly do. I just can't let this develop into a full blown relationship right now because I still have some semblance of Tom that I just can't get rid of. I really need you to understand and accept this." Draco stood up off of the porch swing and paced away from Ginny sitting nervously waiting for his reply. "You do realize that I helped you get away from these memories that you keep having. And all of these tendencies that you've picked up from him that I've helped you get rid of? I don't know what to say to you Gin."_

_ He walked away leaving Ginny sitting on the porch swing, with silent tears streaming down her face._

_ Two weeks later Ginny was searching the house high and low. She had been trying to find Draco for days and had been unsuccessful, moving from house to house and contacting friends. Everything she had done because she realized that she had made a mistake when she told Draco she wasn't ready. It wasn't until after he wasn't there that she felt how much he was needed in her life. _

_ Ginny moved through the house and stopped momentarily when she heard a noise. It sounded like someone moaning. She knew that Amelia and her boyfriend Jason were supposed to be staying at this house and they were horny constantly. Ginny had walked in on them more than once. As she walked up the stairs and moved to the doorway, she noticed that it hadn't been closed all the way. Looking through the gap in the door she saw two people moving together. She gasped when the man raised his head and all Ginny could see was the silver blonde hair._

_ The boy that supposedly loved her had an odd way of showing it. She silently ran back down the stairs and flew into the kitchen. Ginny hoisted herself up onto the counter, hyperventilating. As she grasped the counter she noticed a pen and paper resting on the counter, begging her to leave a note. Feeling angry she scribbled a note and left it at the bottom of the stairs before fleeing the scene of her ultimate undoing._

_ Draco walked downstairs in his jeans, going to get some water for him and his insatiable partner. Grinning he jogged down, noticing a piece of paper at the bottom of the stairs. His grin faded as he read the note 'I do truly love you.' He slowly walked to the kitchen, folding the note and placing it in his wallet, knowing that everything he had wanted so badly, he had ruined just as badly. _

_End Flashback_

As Ginny remembered what had passed between the two the year before she threw her legs over the edge of the bed. She noticed the picture on the side table of Draco and Mia. They were the happiest twins that she had ever known, the only twins who had ever wanted to be connected. Even her very own twin brothers didn't want the connection because they thought it invaded each others privacy. Ginny went to stand yet again and noticed that Draco had left his wallet sitting on the table.

She grinned as she thought of the things that she could do with it. All of the credit cards free for her use because trusting Draco signed all of them. Ginny eagerly flipped open the wallet and froze. There was a piece of paper sticking out of the wallet which Ginny slowly pulled out and realized that it was her handwriting. When she recognized it was the note that she had left Draco, Ginny let a huge sob and broke down in his bedroom.

Amelia went through her day as she usually would, as Hermione Granger. It was remarkable the difference in reactions that she got between being the two witches. She giggled making Ron turn his head and look at her strangely. "Sorry Ron. I thought of something that I read earlier in a library book." She gave him a rueful smile and turned back to her dinner knowing that everything would change after dinner time.

She did notice that Draco had shown up and that Ginny was conspicuously absent. Amelia almost smiled but then she remembered that Ron was still staring at her. It disgusted her that he couldn't get out of the stupid school boy crush. Never in a million years would she be caught dead with Ronald Weasley. It wasn't because he was associating with mudbloods, for god sake she pretended to play one everyday! The main reason was because she had seen how he lived, not cleaning the entire summer, and how he had treated other girlfriends.

Out of the corner of her eye Amelia saw Dumbledore stand. "Would the 7th years please remain in the Great Hall? And I would ask everyone else to return to their common rooms." Inwardly Amelia did smile. _Lets see everybody call me a fucking bookworm now._


End file.
